I have an AR15 Bushmaster and an SKS and have killed lots of prairie dogs. I love the 10/22 for close in work and then move out with the Bushmaster. The 223 is a flat shooting fast and accurate round with shots out past 400 yds easy. The venerable 7.62x39 was made for a medium range automatic rifle and serves that purpose well. It was not ment for the persision that prairie dog shooting takes. I would not use my SKS to shoot prairie dogs with IMHO. Everyone is making good guns that are better suited to hunt dogs with then the SKS but for good fun plinking and back up for close up (under 100yds) deer rifle the SKS is great I love mine
